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The Revolution of 1761 (Part 2)
The Revolution of 1761 was a time of social unrest and terror in Grandelumiere. It is hard to pin-point the main causes of the revolution for the whole affair was rather complex and never officially declared as a revolution until after the events which started in late December of 1760 to late February of 1761. The Arrest of Regent Sophie Antoinette I Cornered in the Throne Room at the Imperial Palace, all the Regent and her small group of Imperials and nobles could do was wait to either die or for an absolution to this terror. The revolutionaries demanded that she'd be taken away from the palace and put under arrest. The Regent, outnumbered and outgunned, gave in. It was then declared where they were to be taken. They were to be held at the Temple which hadn't been lived in since 1139, so it's condition was bound to be a dire one. It was then announced who would accompany the Regent and Regent Consort to the Temple. These included: Comte Frederick Turbigen, Cardinal Marquis Joseph Baptiste de Vendome, Cardinal Anton de Nimes, Marie Claudine Comtesse de Landau and Crown Princess Elisabeth Adeline. They were all lead through the now quiet mob. Everything was still and all were at awe at the fact that the Regent gave into them. The ladies were helped up into the carriage and the men followed in behind them. No words were spoken during that 10 minute journey, only a dead silence held. The carriage pulled up and all exited the carriage. The party looked about them and observed their new abode. Revolutionaries lead them up a tall and narrow staircase to a large room, it had two double beds, table and four chairs, writing desk, tapestries, chamber pot and a harpsichord. Much of this furniture had been put there for storage purposes. But suddenly the Cardinal and Comte were separated from them, much to the Comtesses dismay who cried out for her brother. The Regent held the young woman and exclaimed "But Sir, I must protest!" the revolutionary guard smiled and stated "Nothing you say has any importance anymore". The Cardinal and Comte were taken to the Bastille. Life at the Temple and Unfolding Tragedy Life for the Imperials and the Comtesse at the Temple was dire, dreary and ever burdened with uncertainty. The Regent often paced about the room and would grieve for the way things had gone. The Regent Consort would often sit in quiet contemplation or busy himself with something or other. Princess Elisabeth fell into moments of deep dismay and would stare outside of the barred window to the palace. The Comtesse stayed composed and attentive to her superiors, keeping up her role as Lady-in-Waiting. During this time many loyalists of the Regent were making plans to bust many of the notable people from their places of arrest. The Cardinal and Comte were freed and fled to the Church which laid abandoned, together they all thought of plans to save the Regent and her party in the Temple. One morning the revolutionary leader Francois Dubois entered the Temple with a document. The document would potentially sign away the Regent's powers and hand them all over to him. She signed the document, shaking and with a blank face. The Regent and her group were now given nicknames by the guards, due to their denounced titles and powers, The Baker, The Bakers Wife, The Bakers Child and the Skivvy. This was in reference to the bread shortages. Downfall of the Revolution and the Rescue of the Regent The revolutionaries did not like the idea of Francois Dubois taking up the Regentes powers, he even demanded that he'd live in the Palace. This is not what they wanted at all, so they revolution raised up against itself and stormed the Revolutionary Parliament. This lead to a series of fire that broke out and spread rather fast from house to house, building to building. The loyalists to the Regent took this opportunity of anarchy and disorder to bust her and her small party out of the Temple. The three ladies which were held there observed the growing disorder and were rather startled when a loud pounding was head at the door. The Comtesse and the Princess held each other tightly, fearing that they were to be massacred there and then, but all gave a sigh of relief when they gazed upon familiar faces. The entire party were quickly led under the cover of darkness from the Temple to the Church where they were reunited with the Comte and Cardinal. It was then decided that now many members of the Imperial Army from around the country were now invading its own capital, to reclaim the Regent's power, that it was a safe bet to head to an isolated area. They all decided on Flavingy which was far out in the country. Reclaim of the Throne Regent Sophie Antoinette I, at Flavingy, was then reinstated as Regent. But this was not the end of the Revolution, war still reigned in the destroyed streets of Dijon where fire still raged on and lasted for two days. The Imperials and Nobility decided to then move the court temporarily to the Chateau de Vendome. After the fire, silence reigned supreme over Dijon. The streets filled with rubble, ash and the bodies of those that perished in either battle or fire. Dijon would never be the same, but would soon rise from the ashes...